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Deacon urges health professions to join march for improvement
25/06/2001
For the first time ever in Scotland there is to be a national strategy to promote the role of 'professions allied to medicine in the NHS'.
Professions Allied to Medicine - or PAMs as they are known - include Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and a range of other healthcare professionals.
The Scottish Health Minister today announced that Jacqui Lunday has been appointed as project manager to drive forward the strategy. And she urged these professionals to play their full part in improving services in the NHS.
She also announced that 60 more student places in these disciplines are to be funded from Autumn 2001.
Speaking at the Scottish AGM of Speech and Language Therapists today, Ms Deacon said:
"Professions Allied to Medicine (PAMS) represent a wide range of skills that all have a crucial role to play in the delivery of modern patient-centred health system.
"In the past many of these professions have felt unsupported and undervalued. We plan to change that. Last week, I set out my vision to build, value and support doctors and nurses in the NHS in Scotland. Today, I want to extend that commitment to PAMs. A commitment, as set out in our Scottish Health Plan, to develop the first national strategy for PAMs. It will set out our vision for ensuring that these professionals have the opportunity to play a full part in shaping the future of our NHS.
"We have to harness all the skills that exist in our health service today and channel them to ensure that they meet future needs. Fresh ideas are needed and over the coming months I am keen to hear from those working in these professions. I want their views on how they can contribute to modernised services for patients."
"I am also pleased to announce today the appointment of Jacqui Lunday as the project manager whose job it will be to take this work forward over the coming months. She has considerable experience of working in the NHS in Scotland and is committed to changing and improving services.
"This is an exciting time for PAMs. There are great opportunities ahead to make an even greater contribution to health services. As well as the development of the first ever national Strategy, changes are taking place in our NHS which will revolutionise the way in which PAMs can contribute to change.
"PAMs will have a key role to play in setting national standards for local delivery of services. I am sure that the Strategy will build on these positive developments and I look forward to seeing its progress."
BACKGROUND
1. Speech and Language Therapists work with all ages and client groups to provide services in a variety of locations for those with developmental and acquired communication disorders, fluency and swallowing difficulties.
2. Examples of good work currently being carried out by Speech and Language Therapists include:
- Talking Mats: Talking Mats is a simple communication aid incorporating standard symbols to represent life and/or daily choices. It is used to involve patients in decision making about their own care package and service developments. Benefiting those with conditions such as cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease, stroke and particularly those with learning disabilities, Talking Mats has been developed through research at the Alternative Augmentative Communication research unit based at Stirling University and has generated interest world-wide. The project also recently won the Logie Baird award for innovation.
- Glasgow Royal Infirmary One Stop Hoarseness Clinic is jointly run by Speech and Language Therapists and an Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon providing rapid assessment, diagnosis and advice to people with voice disorders, and also reducing waiting times. The clinic is predominantly for those who use their voice as part of their occupation such as teachers, ministers and call centre users.
3. The Professions Allied to Medicine is a collective name for a number of individual staff groups including Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Radiographers as well as Speech and Language Therapists.
4. Jacqui Lunday has been seconded from Ayrshire and Arran Hospitals NHS Trust where she is Head of Occupational Therapy Services. Jacqui qualified from Glasgow School of Occupational Therapy in 1987 and has held a number of occupational therapy posts in Scotland. She was the first occupational therapist to become a reviewer for the Scottish Health Advisory Service and is a member of the National Modernisation Forum representing the occupational therapy profession.
News Release: SE1542/2001
25 Jun 2001